Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Departmental Contingent Liability Notification (Human Challenge Project)

Lord Callanan: My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma has today made the following statement:I am tabling this statement for the benefit of Honourable and Right Honourable Members to bring to their attention the contingent liabilities relating to the contract signed between the Government and Imperial College London for the Human Challenge Project.This project was announced on 20 October and is aimed at supporting the search for a COVID-19 vaccine. A £33.6 million Government investment will back the project in partnership with Imperial College London, hVIVO and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.In human challenge studies,?a?vaccine candidate that has proven to be safe in initial trials is given to a small number of carefully selected healthy, young adult volunteers who are then exposed to?the?virus in a safe and controlled environment. These studies offer the chance to accelerate development of promising vaccines against Covid-19, bringing them to people more quickly and potentially saving thousands of lives.The first step of the project is the Virus Characterisation Study. This will begin in January 2021 and establish the smallest amount of virus needed to cause Covid-19 infection in the volunteers. Robust safety, ethics, and regulatory approvals will be put in place before the study begins. Imperial College is the academic study sponsor for the Characterisation Study. As study sponsor, Imperial will be liable for any negative side-effects volunteers may experience in this study. Imperial has therefore taken out its own insurance, up to the sum of £10m and for up to 36 months after completion of the study.My Department has agreed to provide the excess for a Relief Claim that Imperial may make for a maximum of £15,000 per volunteer (to a maximum of the 90 volunteers involved in this Study). This is only applicable where the claim arises as the result of the study but not as the result of one of the parties’ negligence. In addition to the agreed excess, my Department has agreed to provide unlimited indemnity beyond the £10 million.My Department believes that this is a justifiable position given the very low risk of exceeding the maximum liability. In a reasonable worst-case scenario, our analysis estimates that liability would be under £1.5m. Therefore, we do not expect the maximum liability to be exceeded.A full Departmental Minute will be laid in the House of Commons providing more detail on this contingent liability.

Department of Health and Social Care

Publication of the Elizabeth Dixon Investigation Report

Lord Bethell: My Hon Friend the Minister of State (Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health) (Nadine Dorries) has made the following written statement:Today we have published the report into the events surrounding the death of Elizabeth Dixon – a baby who sadly died in December 2001 from asphyxiation resulting from a blocked tracheostomy tube and while under the care of a private nursing agency. I offer my heart-felt condolences to Elizabeth’s family, to Anne and Graeme Dixon for their loss, compounded by the length of time – the passage of twenty years – before the facts of this case have been brought to light. The investigation led by Dr Bill Kirkup was tasked with reviewing the care given to Elizabeth Dixon between her birth on 14 December 2000 and her death on 4 December 2001 - and the response of the health system to a catalogue of errors and serious failings in that care. This report describes a harrowing and shocking series of mistakes associated with the care received by Elizabeth and a response to her death that was completely inadequate and at times inhumane. Elizabeth and her family were let down by a failure to diagnose or respond to her underlying condition, to put in place the care she required, to acknowledge the circumstances of her death or provide her parents with an honest account of these failings. The investigation sheds light on what the report describes as a ‘twenty year cover up’. It alleges that some individuals have been persistently dishonest in accounting for their actions or inaction. Underlying all of this was the acceptance of a flawed prognosis that influenced the future course of events. It created a situation in which “facts were wilfully ignored, and alternatives fabricated”. Shocking too is the implication in the report’s recommendations that the presence of her physical and mental health needs may have been used to justify or excuse the inadequate care she had received. On behalf of Government and the health system I would like to say I am truly sorry for the devastating impact this must have had upon the Dixon family. Individuals made mistakes and acted unprofessionally, but the system allowed it. The report makes clear that “clinical error, openly disclosed, investigated and learned from, should not result in blame or censure; equally, conscious choices to cover up or to be dishonest should not be tolerated”. It is also unacceptable for patients ever to be exposed to unsafe or poor care, and I remain fully committed to ensuring we provide the highest standards of quality and safe services to all patients. I am grateful to my Right Honourable Friend the member for South West Surrey for commissioning this investigation in June 2017 when he was Secretary of State for Health and bringing these events into the open. I would also like to thank Dr Bill Kirkup and his team for the diligence and hard work that has informed their report. Particularly, I would like to pay tribute to Anne and Graeme Dixon who have fought so hard for answers. I hope this report is the beginning of a process that will bring some closure for the family. They should not have had to wait for so long. This report shines a light on a culture of denial and cover up 20 years ago that left a family with little choice but report their concerns to the police. Families should not have to fight a closed system for answers and I will not hesitate to expose this sort of behaviour whenever it appears today. Indeed, Elizabeth’s legacy should be that other families will always be told the truth. Relevant organisations will need to consider and reflect carefully on the report’s recommendations. There is no room for complacency. The continual appearance of shocking reports about patient safety – historic or more recent – implies there is much for the NHS to focus on. My Department will therefore have oversight of their responses and report back to the House. There needs to be learning and implementation, but above all I want to be assured that we are doing all we can to make sure such events cannot happen again. No other family should ever again have to go through the heartache and frustration experienced by the Dixon’s and I apologise again for the failings set out in this report. Copies of the report have been laid before the House.

Covid-19 Update

Lord Bethell: My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock) has made the following written statement:On 23 November, the Prime Minister set out our COVID-19 Winter Plan in Parliament. Our COVID-19 Winter Plan puts forward the UK Government’s programme for suppressing the virus, protecting the NHS and the vulnerable, keeping education and the economy going, and providing a route back to normality.   Thanks to the shared sacrifice of everyone in recent weeks, in following the national restrictions, we have been able to start to bring the virus back under control and slow its growth, easing some of the pressure on the NHS.   We will do this by returning to a regional tiered approach, saving the toughest measures for the parts of the country where prevalence remains too high.  The tiering approach provides a framework that, if used firmly, should prevent the need to introduce stricter national measures.On 2 December we will lift the national restrictions across all of England and the following restrictions will be eased:The stay-at-home requirement will end.Non-essential retail, gyms, personal care will reopen. The wider leisure and entertainment sectors will also reopen, although to varying degrees.Communal worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume.People will no longer be limited to seeing one other person in outdoor public spaces, where the rule of 6 will now apply.The new regulations set out the restrictions applicable in each tier. We have taken into account advice from SAGE on the impact of the previous tiers to strengthen the measures in the tiers, and help enable areas to move more swiftly into lower tiers.The changes to the tiers are as follows:In tier 1, the Government will reinforce the importance that, where people can work from home, they should do so.In tier 2, hospitality settings that serve alcohol must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals.In tier 3, hospitality will close except for delivery, drive-through and takeaway, hotels and other accommodation providers must close (except for specific exemptions, such as people staying for work purposes, where people are attending a funeral, or where they cannot return home) and indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bowling allies must also close. Elite sport will be played without spectators. Organised outdoor sport can resume, but the Government will advise against higher risk contact sports. These are not easy decisions, but they have been made according to the best clinical advice, and the criteria that we set out in the Covid-19 Winter Plan.  These are:Case detection rates in all age groupsCase detection rates in the over 60sThe rate at which cases are rising or fallingPositivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)Pressure on the NHS.The indicators have been designed to give the Government a picture of what is happening with the virus in any area so that suitable action can be taken. These key indicators need to be viewed in the context of how they interact with each other as well as the wider context but provide an important framework for decision making – assessing the underlying prevalence in addition to how the spread of the disease is changing in areas. Given these sensitivities, it is not possible to set rigid thresholds for these indicators.  The regulations will require the Government to review the allocations every 14 days, with the first review complete by the end of 16 December.  We have been able to announce UK-wide arrangements for Christmas, allowing friends and loved ones to reunite, and form a Christmas bubble of three households for five days over the Christmas period.  We have increased funding through our Contain Outbreak Management Fund, which will provide monthly payments to local authorities facing higher restrictions.  We are also launching a major community testing programme, honing in on the areas with the greatest rate of infection.  This programme is open to local authorities in Tier 3 areas and offers help to get out of the toughest restrictions as fast as possible.The following areas will be in each tier from the 2 December. This list will also be published on gov.uk and a postcode tracker will be available for the public to check what rules apply in their local area.Allocations RegionSub-RegionAllocationRationale North WestGreater Manchester? Very High (Tier 3)While there has been continued improvement in Greater Manchester, weekly case rates remain very high, especially amongst those aged over 60, at around 260 per 100,000 people. The pressure on the local NHS is decreasing in some areas but remains a concern; Manchester University hospital and Pennine Acute Trust remain under significant pressure. Lancashire, Blackpool, and Blackburn with Darwen? Very High (Tier 3)While there have been improvements in some areas, case rates and the proportion of tests which are positive for covid-19 remain high. Case rates in over 60s are very high (over 200 per 100,000) in 6 lower tier local authorities. There is still pressure on the NHS in this region. Liverpool City RegionHigh (Tier 2) ?There is continued improvement across the Liverpool city region. Case rates (including for the over 60s) are decreasing rapidly with some notable improvements in Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton. Cases have fallen by 69% over 6 weeks. However, despite improvements, case rates in over 60s remain high at 150+ per 100,000 people in all lower tier local authorities. Cheshire? (including Warrington) High (Tier 2)Case rates are continuing to decline across Warrington and Cheshire, with a 27.4% fall to 209 people per 100,000, in line with Liverpool City Region. However, case rates in those over 60 remain high (175/100,000) though falling. Positivity is 8.1%. Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS foundation Trust has 150 inpatients with Covid-19. Cumbria?High (Tier 2) ?The picture in Cumbria is broadly improving although case rates in Carlisle and South Lakeland are increasing – with increases likely due to a large school outbreak. Case rates in over 60s are above 100 per 100,000 in Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. These case rates are too high for allocation to Tier 1 but Cumbria’s trajectory does currently not warrant inclusion in Tier 3.North East?Tees Valley? Combined Authority Very High (Tier 3) ?While case rates are now decreasing in all lower tier local authorities, they remain very high at 390 people per 100,000 across the region, with positivity also very high at 13.3%. The case rate in over 60s remains very high at 292 per 100,000. NHS admissions in the area have remained high in November. North East Combined Authority Very High (Tier 3)?The region continues to see very high case rates, overall 318 people per 100,000, although this figure is either stable or falling in all parts of the region. Case rate in over 60s remains very high at 256 per 100,000. NHS admissions in the area have remained high in November.Yorkshire and The Humber??The Humber?Very High (Tier 3)?The picture in Humber is improving with case rates now falling in 3 of the 4 lower tier local authorities. However, case rates in all ages and in over 60s remain very high (431/100,000 and 344/100,000 respectively). Positivity is 12.6%. There is ongoing pressure on the local NHS. West Yorkshire? Very High (Tier 3)??This area is improving with case rates falling in all 5 lower tier local authorities. However, case rates in all ages and rates in over 60s remain very high (389/100,000 and 312/100,000 respectively). Positivity is 13.9%. South Yorkshire? Very High (Tier 3)??This area is improving with case rates falling in all 4 lower tier local authorities. However, case rates in all ages and rates in those over 60 remain very high (274/100,000 and 223/100,000 respectively). Positivity is 11.0%. There is pressure on local NHS Trusts. York and North Yorkshire? High (Tier 2)?Overall case rates (including for those over 60) in this region are improving in seven of the eight local authorities and lower than other parts of Yorkshire and The Humber but remain high overall (202/100,000 in all age groups and 145/100,000 for those aged over 60). Positivity is 8.5%. Rates in Scarborough are significantly higher than the rest of the region (334/100,000 in all age groups and 247/100,000 in those aged over 60) but falling rapidly.East Midlands??Leicester and Leicestershire ??Very High (Tier 3)??Improvements have been seen in overall case rates in all but one lower tier local authority, but remain very high at 355 per 100,000, including in over 60s at 250 per 100k. The pressure on the local NHS remains very high.??Derby and Derbyshire??Very High (Tier 3)????There has been improvement in this area, but case rates remain very high at 275 per 100,000, and in those over 60 it is 220 per 100,000. The pressure on the local NHS remains high.??Lincolnshire??Very High (Tier 3)????There has been an overall improvement, but case rates remain high throughout the county, at 307 per 100,000 and in the over 60s it is 281 per 100,000. NHS pressures in Lincolnshire remain high and show signs of increasing, particularly for the units treating the more serious cases??Nottingham and Nottinghamshire??Very High (Tier 3)????There has been an improvement, but case rates remain very high in the over 60s at 211 per 100,000. The overall case rate is 244 per 100,000 and positivity is 10%. The proportion of hospital beds taken up by covid-19 patients is high but appears to be falling.??Northamptonshire??High (Tier 2)????Although improvements in the overall case rates have been seen recently, there is a continued rise in rates of Covid-19 in the over 60s. Over 60s case rate is 154 per 100,000. There is some evidence that the local NHS is seeing the proportion of people with Covid-19 being admitted and subsequently occupying beds stabilising, however Covid and Non-Covid patients occupying beds in units treating more serious cases is high.??Rutland??High (Tier 2)????This area is improving with a case rate of 125 per 100,000 and 118 per 100,000 for the over 60s, which while elevated is different from the surrounding areas. Positivity is 6.4%.West Midland??sBirmingham and Black Country??Very High (Tier 3)??While case rates are improving (down 8.3%) they remain very high (390/100,000). There is a similar trend for positivity. Pressure on the NHS remains high.??Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent??Very High (Tier 3)??While the situation is improving with case rates down 13.4%, case rates and test positivity are both very high across this area (391/100,000 and 11.1% respectively). The pressure on the local NHS remains very high, including in units treating the more serious cases.??Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull??Very High (Tier 3)??The case rate remains very high (though falling) across this area at 236/100,000. The case rate in over 60s remains very high at 182/100,000. There is a clear upward trend in case rates in over 60s in three of the seven local authority areas. Positivity is 9.0%. The pressure on the local NHS remains high.??Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin??High (Tier 2)??The case rate remains high (though falling) at 200/100,000. The case rate in over 60s remains high at 139/100.000 and is falling. Positivity is 7.2%.??Herefordshire??High (Tier 2)??Herefordshire has a high case rate at 160.3/100,000. These rates are too high for allocation to Tier 1 but the slight downward trajectory – a fall of 1.9% - does currently not warrant inclusion in Tier 3. ?? WorcestershireHigh (Tier 2)??While there has been a decline in case rates in all lower tier local authorities they do remain high (201/100,000),including in the over 60s (141/100,000), These case rates are too high for allocation to Tier 1 but the downward trajectory – with a fall of 18.3% - does currently not warrant inclusion in Tier 3. Hospital admissions of patients with covid-19 have started to stabilise??LondonLondonHigh (Tier 2)The trajectory of key indicators of Covid-19 in an area (including all age case rates, over 60s case rates and positivity) have been increasing until very recently. The situation in London is not uniform throughout the city. 13 of the 33 boroughs have case rates which are 10% or more higher than a week ago and ten boroughs where case rates for over 60s are above 150 per 100,000. Hospital admissions continue to increase in the East and North London in particular, although they are still well below the spring peak. Taken as a whole, the situation in London has stabilised at a similar case rate and positivity to other parts of the country in Tier 2.East of England?Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes?High (Tier 2)The overall case rate is still increasing in two of the three lower tier local authorities. The overall case rate is high at 178/100,000 and it is 113/100,000 in the over 60s although this rises to 185/100,000 in Luton. Positivity 6.9%. There is pressure on the local NHS.?Essex, Thurrock and Southend on SeaHigh (Tier 2)Overall the rate is 159/100,000 and rising. The rate in over 60s is 100/100,000 and falling. Positivity is 6.4%.?Norfolk?High (Tier 2)The majority of Norfolk is improving. Case rates are 123/100,000 and positivity is 5.0%. Case rates for over 60s remain over 100 per 100,000 in Great Yarmouth, Norwich and South Norfolk (with increasing trajectories in the last two areas).?Cambridgeshire and Peterborough?High (Tier 2)An improving picture with decreasing case rates across 5 of the 6 local authorities although the case rate is still high at 123/100,000 overall). Case rates in over 60s are also decreasing (58/100,000). Positivity has dropped to 5.2%.?Hertfordshire?High (Tier 2)There is an improving picture across the majority of Hertfordshire – the case rate has fallen to 147/100,000 overall with drops in rates in 9 of the 10 local authorities. Case rates in over 60s are falling also (102/100,000) but they are greater than 100/100,000 in 6 local authorities. Positivity is 6.3% falling. Suffolk?High (Tier 2)There is an improving picture across the majority of Suffolk. The case rate has fallen to 82/100,000 with drops in rate in 4 of the 5 local authorities. There has been a >40% increase in weekly case rate to 128/100,000 in Ipswich compared to the previous week. Across Suffolk, case rates in over 60s are also falling (72/100,000). Positivity is 3.7%.South EastHampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton.High (Tier 2)There is a mixed picture across this area although the overall case rate is now 152/100,000 and falling in almost all areas. NHS admissions were increasing rapidly until mid-November and are now stable. Isle of Wight?Medium (Tier 1)The case rate is low and decreasing at 71 per 100,000 and lower in over 60s at 44 per 100,000. Covid-19 pressure on the NHS is low.?East and West Sussex, and Brighton and HoveHigh (Tier 2)Case rates in Sussex are at 120 per 100,000 with a total positivity of 4.5%. However, the trend is increasing in several areas. NHS admissions have been fairly stable in the last month but there is increasing occupancy in units treating more serious cases.?Surrey?High (Tier 2)Case rates are stable or improving in all areas with the overall rate at 139 per 100,000. The most concerning lower tier local authorities are those that neighbour London (Spelthorne and Runnymede) with case rates over 200 per 100,000, and high case rates in the over 60s are observed in neighbouring Surrey Heath and Woking. Surrey Heartlands Health & Care Partnership (STP) report admissions to hospital from covid-19 patients were fairly stable in the last month.?Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Windsor and Maidenhead, West BerkshireHigh (Tier 2)An improving picture across the area with the exception of Slough and Reading. Slough has high case rates (326 per 100,000 overall and 219 per 100,000 for the over 60s) and relatively high positivity of 12%. The case rate and positivity away from Slough do not justify inclusion at tier 3. SloughVery High (Tier 3)The weekly case rate in Slough is much higher than surrounding areas at over 320 per 100,000 people compared with 155 per 100,000 in the rest of Berkshire and 138 in Buckinghamshire. Test positivity is also much higher at 12%.?Buckinghamshire?High (Tier 2)A broadly stable or improving picture across Buckinghamshire with a case rate at 138 per 100,000 and positivity at 6.4%. These case rates remain too high for allocation to Tier 1.?Oxfordshire?High (Tier 2)Positive improvements across key indicators across all areas in Oxfordshire, but case rates still too high for Tier 1. Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire And Berkshire West STP hospital admissions have been fairly stable in recent months. Kent & MedwayVery High (Tier 3)Case rates are high and continuing to rise with large increases in case rates in almost all areas in the last 7 days. Some of the highest case rates in the country are currently seen in Kent. Rising case rates in people aged over 60 are a particular concern. Positivity is also increasing in 10 of the 13 lower tier local authorities. Kent And Medway STP are reporting hospital admissions are increasing and mutual aid necessary across the county.South West?Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset?Very High (Tier 3)The overall picture remains concerning with very high case rates overall (325/100,000) and in the over 60s (208/100,000). Positivity is 10.4%. Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset are part of a wider travel to work area and thus form a natural geographic grouping, separate to the surrounding area. Somerset? and Bath and North East SomersetHigh (Tier 2)There are very small increases in the case rates in this area, however overall case rates and those in over 60s remain high (154/100,000 and 102/100,000 respectively). Positivity is stable at 5.5%.?Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleHigh (Tier 2)Case rates are falling across the area (131/100,000 in all cases and 99/100,000 in the over 60s). However the over 60 case rate is still high at 151/100,000 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Positivity is 5.2%. In addition, the Dorset STP reports daily admissions to hospitals are increasing.?Gloucestershire?High (Tier 2)Case rates in Gloucestershire remain high at 162/100,000. While a decline has been seen in the case rate in the over 60s, this remains at 92/100,000. Positivity is 6.3%.?Wiltshire and Swindon?High (Tier 2)Case rates continue to fall in Swindon but are increasing in Wiltshire. Overall case rates are 143/100,000 and 93/100,000 in the over 60s. Positivity is 6.2%. Swindon and Wiltshire STP are reporting increasing admissions to hospital.?Devon?High (Tier 2)Case rates are 121/100,000 overall though there are higher rates in Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter. The case rate in the over 60s is 85/100,000 though significantly higher in Exeter (155.9/100,000). Positivity is 4.2%. There is pressure at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.?Cornwall? and Isles of Scilly?Medium (Tier 1)There are low case rates and test positivity in Cornwall and the case rates in all age groups are stable or declining.There have been no cases in the Isles of Scilly in the last seven days meaning there is strong evidence to make an allocation to Tier 1.

Public Health England: Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20

Lord Bethell: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock) has made the following written statement:I wish to inform the House of the publication of Public Health England’s Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year 2019/20. A copy of the Annual Report and Accounts 2019/20 (‘the Report’) has been laid before both Houses.Public Health England (PHE) is an Executive Agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, providing the evidence, support and advice needed locally, nationally and internationally. PHE is responsible for four critical functions: protecting the public’s health; improving the public’s health, improving population health; and supporting the capacity and capability of the public health system in England.The Report sets out the activity, performance and expenditure of PHE for key areas of its business for 2019-2020 financial year and reflects the position as at 31 March 2020. The report is based on activity in the 2019/20 financial year and notes that some performance in the final quarter was impacted because PHE rigorously reprioritised to free up significant internal resource for the COVID-19 response.As referenced in the Report, on 18 August 2020, the Government announced the establishment of a new National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP), which will bring together the additional testing capacity at scale of NHS Test and Trace, the Joint Biosecurity Centre intelligence and analytical capability with the public health science and health protection expertise of PHE. NIHP will be formally and fully established in 2021.NHS Test and Trace and PHE put in place integrated arrangements on the COVID-19 response and created a joint situational awareness team to provide analysis and insight into the progression of the virus, under single leadership.Until further formal changes are made, PHE continues to operate and deliver its core functions in line with its Framework Agreement and continues to be held to account for delivery against the priorities set by Government in the annual strategic remit and priorities letter and agreed business plans through formal quarterly accountability meetings. PHE’s governance boards and groups and PHE’s Advisory Board also continue to operate. There will be a continued focus on responding to COVID-19, now and throughout the winter. Health improvement, preventing ill health and reducing inequalities will also remain priorities for PHE, prior to full transition to new arrangements.Work is underway to determine the right future arrangements for PHE’s vital non-health protection functions, including health improvement responsibilities, and we will engage widely on proposals before implementing new arrangements in 2021.

Treasury

Tax Credits, Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance Update

Lord Agnew of Oulton: My right honourable friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.The government will bring forward regulations that will increase most tax credits rates and thresholds and will increase the Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance rates in line with the general rise in prices as measured by the September 2020 Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI has been the default inflation measure for the government’s statutory annual review of benefits since 2011. The annual uprating of benefits will take place for tax credits from the start of the new tax year and for Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance in the first full week of the 2021-22 tax year. In 2021, this will be 6 April for tax credits and 12 April for Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance.The government is committed to supporting those who need it most. The annual up-rating process takes into account a variety of measures:The majority of elements and thresholds in Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit will be increased by September’s CPI figure (0.5%) from April 2021. In line with established practice and the Office for Budget Responsibility’s expectations in their welfare forecast, the maximum rate of the childcare element, the family element, the withdrawal rate and the income disregards will remain unchanged. The 0.5% increase will be applied to the rate of the Working Tax Credit basic element announced by Written Ministerial Statement on 4 November 2019 (£1,995). The statutory annual review of benefits is separate from the temporary £20 per week uplift to the Working Tax Credit basic element and the Universal Credit standard allowance, which was announced as a temporary measure in March 2020, and enacted for one year under different legislation in response to the public health emergency. As we have done throughout this crisis, we will continue to assess how best to support low-income families, which is why we will look at the economic and health context in the new year. Child Benefit will be increased in line with CPI (0.5%) from April 2021. As set out in legislation, Guardian’s Allowance will be uprated in line with prices, measured by CPI (0.5%).The full list of proposed benefit and credit rates will be placed in the Libraries of the House in due course.

Contingencies Fund Advance

Lord Agnew of Oulton: My right honourable friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jesse Norman) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.HM Revenue and Customs will incur new expenditure in connection with the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21. Parliamentary approval for additional resources of £21,715,000,000 will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for HM Revenue and Customs. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £21,715,000,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund. In line with the latest OBR forecasts, further requests to the Contingencies Fund may be made as necessary to fund Covid-19 activity delivered by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

The Government and UK Statistics Authority’s response to their joint consultation on the reform to Retail Prices Index methodology

Lord Agnew of Oulton: My honourable friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.Today, the Government and UK Statistics Authority have published the response to their joint consultation on the reform to Retail Prices Index (RPI) methodolgy. The consultation response document can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-consultation-on-the-reform-to-retail-prices-index-rpi-methodologyA copy of the consultation response has been deposited in the Library of the House.